Air volume control



' April 14, 1942. w. E, KEN-T 2,279,948

AIR VOLUME CONTROL Filed July 16, 1941 Patented Apr. 14, 1942 ATE/T erick A .-My inventi'onrel-ates to automatic air controls .for .self-contained vwater vsystems of l .the z-type'f in which Ydistribution is eiectedffbypressure-estab- --lished in the storage tank; as distinguishedwfrom gravity iiow systems. Arrangements :of--fthisg 5g characterA are 'customarily` used :in ifcountryf:` disf tricts. or `in y'other jlocations which-da not-have access-tocentral*pumpingstations. f

:V Cardinal requirements 'of sucha 'system'v-are an automatic introduction ot air into the'storagafl tank and-themaintaining .of this air-at=a-pre -.determined pressure above: the surface` *of f the -4 water to `insureY adequate-.now at'the yVarious-outletsof thissystem.` Eailure'to introduce airwin .Y proper ramounts' results: inl` water loggedtanksi315 sluggish distribution in the system; increased I-wearfof the motor and-pump," and higheroper- -ating` costs.

It is therefore Vthe principal Vobjectiofmy'inf pipel 6. Thecircuit betweenthe pipe IBandthe ejector-I3 iscompleted by a pressure pipe.I1.

The-pump maybe driven by an electricymotor I8 under the=controlof a pressureswitch I9, thefarrangement being such thatat a predetermined pump pressure,which pressure may be varied in accordance with thev conditions of,- operation, the pump I4 will be thrown into orfout of operation as vvcircumstances may require. The internal construction ofthe switch I9 Vformsfno part of the invention and therefore has notbeen particularly illustrated 'or described. Switches of this type arewnow commonly used inv water systems of the character` described.

Beyond the junction-of the pipes Iandrll, a

-control valve 20 of standard construction may be `.incorporated in the pipe I6' in order to automatf vention to devise a #control forvautomatically:in1l'20 pressure of thirty pounds per square inch in the .troducing air-.intol the storage.v tank of a'system ofthe f above type and ins-"which the. air-:inlet valve constitutes the only moving part.

A` further object-is to provide a f'device ofrthe l typel indicatedwherein lthe rintroduction'foff `air95 is responsive to -t-he waterf'level in'the'stora'ge :'tank.

Afurther object'is to devise an air volume'con-v trol in which vat least a portionofithe'watersupv` ply is 'utilizedl to setup an aspirating action'fo the purpose" 'ofinducing a ow of air' through an intakeiva'lvei'into 'the storage tank. I

vThese andfurtherwobjects of myinventi'on vzwillbeiset forth in the following specicatiom reference being had to the Va'ccompanying drawSrv ing, andthe novel vmeansfby which `said objects are efectuated will bedenitelypointed out in the claims.

-f In the drawing:

. M4 V'Fig 1 is an elevation showing a characteristic* ideeuwell; water system equipped with` my improved air volume control device.

l Fig; 2 is an enlarged, sectional elevation ofthe control deviceshown in Fig. l1.

Fig. 3 shows a modiiecl arlrangementinwhichthe entire discharge from the4 pump passes 'through the control. l v

` Referring to the drawing, the nurneral'JD- designates a deep wellinwhichis submerged 4the.-50v

usual foot .Valve II. carriedatthe -lowerlend of' a. vdrop pipe kI2 whose upper end is'connected to ejector .I3. They ejector is 'connected-- to.v a pump M by means of asuction-pipe IE'andthe discharge fromthe pump-is delivered to a vsupplyi55.

.tank or at` any desired pressure. the tank 2|.may be delivered-.to any desired n'um- .ber of service outlets by a pipe 22.

ically regulatethe-pressure in a Ytank 2|.-to which the deliveryrend of the supplypipe fIBLis connected. This valve mayfbe setto close at a Water within f The system as-descr-ibed above in and ofritself formsno part ofthe inventionin as -much-'asrit Vtypiiies a .characteristic water systemzfor with- Y ,drawing lwater from a deep `Welland supplying this water at a more or lessconstantpressure'zto a number of outlets. It will be understood, however, that the specific device presently ldescribed is not restricted to use on a deep well, but may be just as readily incorporated in ashallowwell system.

. TheA control Yfor automatically introducingr air .into the tank 2| .is generally indicatedby lthe numeral 23A in Fig. 1. One end of a tubeorsmall pipe 24 is `connected to the supply. pipe v.IIS fbetween the junction of the pipe Il and the pump 0 I4 while the opposite end is connected .to a nozzle 25 which is mounted in a member 26 that. is

of the nozzle is axially aligned with one .ende of a Venturi passage 21 and suciently close to u .which isnormally engaged by a ball 34 to close the throat 23 of this passage to establishalow pressure zone 29 at the delivery end of the nozzle.

An'air inlet passage 3i) extends transversely from the low pressure zone 29 and the outer end of this passage is enlarged to receive a nipple 3l having a passage 32 extending therethrough. The passage 32. is provided with a Valve-seat 33 the passage.

. Located above the Venturi passage 21`is a reflievingpassage 35, oneend of Whichcornmunicates with the interior of the tank 2|, while the opposite end is connected by a passage 36 with the Venturi passage 29 suiiiciently close to the throat 28 to be included within the low pressure zone 29. If desired, a pressure gage 31 may be 5 mounted in the member 26 in communication with the passage 36 for the purpose of indicating the pressure in the tank 2|.

In the operation of my improved device, the

pump |4 withdraws water from the well .I0 in -10.

the usual manner and pumps the same into the tank 2| `through the supply pipe I6. Due to the bypass provided by the pipe 24, a portion of this water flows through the last named pipe, the

nozzle 25, and Venturi passage 21 into the tank. l5

waterlevel in the tank drops below the tank end As long as the water level in the tank 2| is above the relieving passage 35, the discharge of water from the nozzle 25 into the Venturi passage sets up an aspirating action which is characterized by the usual low pressure zone 29 in the neigh- 20 borhood of the throat 28, thus causing the ball 34- to be raised 'from its seat by atmospheric lpressureand permitting an induction of air into the'passage 21. This air is mixed with the water therein for iinal delivery into the tank 2| Where 25 the venturi and nozzle constituting an aspirating 'means, a valve controlled air inlet communicating with thelow pressure zone of the aspirating means, the inlet being open during aspiration the airis liberated and collects above the water level to -establish the desired water pressure inthe tank.

As the water level fallsdue to sustained withdrawals, it may drop below the tank end ofth 30 passage 35 and when this condition occurs, the "aspirating action in the Venturi passage is interrupted whereupon the ball, 34 is moved to a closed position by gravity. The pump |4 con- Y .tnues t0 deliver Waiter thIOugh the pipes |6 anc35 24 until the water level in the tank rises above `the passage 35'Vand at this time the aspirating Aaction'is resumed. High and low water `levels in the ftank may be indicated by the numbers 38n and 39 respectively. C? i My- 'inproved control is characterized by a l positive and Ventirely" automaticY air charging action and one that possesses only a single moving part, namely, the ball 34 whose movement is side of the pump and at the other end to a contro1 4| mounted in the wan of thetank 2|. 'rh"'55 pipe 40 corresponds to the pipe 24, but is sufficiently largerin diameter to handle the full discharge of the pump, while the internal construction of` the control 4| is identical with theocontrol 23 except that the several passages are 60 enlarged to accommodate the increased flow of 'waten Asbefore, the pipes 5 and |1 indicate y .the suction and pressure pumps leading to the well.

Iny either of the above modifications, it will be 65 jv understood that the passages 35 and 36 may have other locations than those illustrated in Fig. 2, 1 `since their sole function is an automatic control on,.the introduction of air into the storage tanl'go 4in rresponse to the height of water in the tank.

-The invention is not restricted for use in'connection with a water system, but is broadly ap- 4plicable to the introduction of air into a tankby,V

'thee aspirating action of a liquid discharged into' j'15,

a tank and in which the aspirating action is controlled by the liquid level in the tank.

I claim:

1. An air volume control for a water system having a storage tank and a pump of supplying Water from a well to the tank comprising aspirating means communicating with the tank and pump and through which a portion of the water is delivered to the tank, a valve controlled air inlet communicating with the low pressure zone of the aspirating means, the inlet being open during aspiration and closed at all other times, and a. passage connecting the tank and the low pressure zone of the aspirating means for interrupting the aspirating action when the of the passage.

2. An air volume control for a water system having a storage tank and a pump for supplying water from a well to the tank comprising a member mounted in the tankwall and having a Venturi passage* extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the tank, a nozzle connected to the pump discharge with its terminal disposed adjacent the Venturi throat,

and closed at all other times, and a second passage disposed above the Venturi passage and connecting the tank with the low pressure'zone of the aspirating means for interrupting the asvpirating actionwhen the waterr level in the tank drops below the tank end of the second passage.

3. In a liquid system, the combination of a tank for storing a liquid under a cushion of air at a predetermined pressure, a pump connected to a liquid source, main and auxiliary supply conlnections from the pump to the tank disposed in parallel now relation, and an air charging device in and comprising aspirating means having a passage constituting part of the auxiliary connection, an air 4inlet communicating with the low pressure zone vof the aspirating means, the inlet being Aopen during aspiration and closed at all other times, and a second passage connecting the tank with the low`pressure zone of the aspirating meansfor interrupting the aspirating action when the liquid level in the tank drops below the tank end of the second passage.

4. In a liquid system, the combination of a tank for storing a liquid under a cushion of air at a predetermined pressure, `a pump connected to a liquid source, a supply connection from the `pump to thetank and an air charging device and comprisingaspirating means having a passage constituting part of the connection,an

air inlet communicating with the low vpressure zone of the aspiratingmeans, the inlet being open during aspiration and closed at all other times, and a second passage connecting the tank with the low pressure zone of the aspirating means for interrupting the aspirating action .when the liquid level in the tank drops below the tank end of the second passage.

5. An air volume control for a `water system having a storage tank and a pumpfor supplying water from a well to the tank comprising aspirating means communicating with the tank and pump and throughV which all water is delivered 'tovv the tank, a valve controlled airinlet communicating with V,the low pressure zone of the aspiratingf'me'a'ns, the inlet being open during aspiration and closed at all other times, and a sure zone of the aspirating means for interrupting the aspirating action when the waterlevel in the tank drops belowthe tank end of the passage.

6. An air charging device for a liquid system having a tank for storing the liquid under a cushion of air at a predetermined pressure and aV pump for supplying liquid to the tank comprising aspirating means having a passage connecting the tank `and pump and constituting the sole liq- 10 2,279,948 3 y passage connecting the tank and the low presuid connection between the tank and pump, an

` air inlet communicating with the low pressure zone of the aspirating means, the inlet being open `during aspiration and closed at all other times, and a second passage connecting the tank with the low pressure zone of the aspirating means for interrupting the aspirating action when the liquid level in the tank drops below the tank end of the second passage.

WALTER E. KENT. 

